1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to commercial packing and shipping industry. More particularly, the invention comprises a system for packing items such as preassembled cabinets, furniture major appliances or electronics for shipping.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The protection of items such as preassembled cabinets, furniture, major appliances or electronics against damage during shipping has long been a concern, and many different solutions have been offered over the years.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,185, issued to Michael Franke on Dec. 12, 1995, discloses a PROTECTIVE PACKAGING FOR FURNITURE, ELECTRICAL APPARATUS AND THE LIKE, consisting of a fabric covering, generally fitted to the item to be packed, with padded reinforcement at the corner seams. Franke further presents a fabric covering with elastic inserts which allow or stretch to provide a snug fit over an object. Franke provides padding and corner protection for bulky items while the present invention provides rigid protection for all surfaces and corners.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,078, issued to Burford R. Strauser on Apr. 18, 1995, discloses a PERIMETER PACKAGE FOR ARTICLES, wherein a rigid, stackable frame of corrugated and honeycombed cardboard is used for shrink or stretch wrapping an item, such as furniture, or other bulky items. Strauser""s frame is cut from a sheet of corrugated cardboard and folded such that support columns are formed in piece. Honeycombed cardboard buffers are foldably mounted at the top and bottom of each piece to form a rigid stacking surface for the frame. Strauser provides an excellent framework for shrink or stretch wrapping of bulky items while the present invention provides corner bracing for protecting an item on a cardboard shipping box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,263, issued to Donald L. Baltzer, et. al., on Apr. 24, 1990, discloses a CONTAINER PACKAGING for large pieces of furniture, wherein multi-ply corrugated cardboard is scored and folded to form a pallet upon which a piece of furniture is placed and into the legs of the piece project. Separate corrugated corner posts fit around the corners of the piece of furniture and mount within the pallet and a separate corrugated top piece. The entire structure is then overwrapped for shipping. Baltzer has the convenience of being expandable along its length to receive larger furniture pieces by adding extension member to the pallet base, thus requiring fewer stock packaging containers but, although corners and top are protected, surfaces faces of the furniture piece are exposed. The present invention, on the other hand, provides full protection to the shipped piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 4.762,226, issued to John R. Gatton, on Aug. 9, 1988, discloses a SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR MAJOR APPLIANCES, a corrugated container having a bottom cap with flaps glued to the lower edges of the walls of a tube member and a top cap with flaps on three sides, similarly glued to the upper edge of the walls of the tube member. The fourth side of the top cap is secured to the fourth wall of the tube member by a triple folded flange, allowing a lifting point for lifting equipment. In Gatton the walls of the container are in direct contact with the item packed within, whereas the present invention provides a spacer to provide a gap between the walls of the shipping container and the item packed within.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,636, issued to Harry E. Rothrock, Jr., et. al., on Aug. 15, 1972, discloses a PAPER BOARD CORNER PACKING CONSTRUCTION, wherein corrugated cardboard is folded and cut in such a manner as to provide a rigid, cushioning corner assembly for insulating the corners of a packed item from contact with the walls of the shipping container, typically a corrugated cardboard box. In Rothrock, the cut and folded corner packing construction is placed around the perimeter of the bottom of the shipping container, placing the item to be shipped into the corner packing construction, and then placing additional corner packing construction around the top perimeter of the shipping container to protect the top of the item to be shipped. The present invention, on the other hand, makes it easier to construct the shipping container around the item to be shipped rather than inserting the item into the shipping container.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The protection of items such as preassembled cabinets, furniture, major appliances or electronics against damage during shipping is a problem that has been approached in many different ways throughout the years. Manufacturers desire to pack their products as inexpensively, both in materials and labor, as possible while providing a maximum of protection against potential damage. This has typically entailed packing an item snugly in a preassembled carton, protected by systems such as styrofoam edge protectors. This procedure can, however, be quite awkward, especially with larger items such as furniture or cabinets. The present invention, however, offers a packaging system which can be built around the item to be packed, easing the packing procedure.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention is to provide a packing system that is economical to produce.
It is another object of the invention to provide a packing system that is easy to use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a packing system that provides substantial protection to an item in transit.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a packing system chat is easily scored until use.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a packing system that is easy to unpack.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.